Middle Eastern migrants aren't 'piling on to the dole queue'

Participation in the labour force can be affected by caring responsibilities, educational status and age, among other things. Centrelink payment eligibility also varies across visa subclasses.

When someone responds to the labour force survey indicating they are “unemployed and looking for work” it doesn’t mean they are receiving a Centrelink payment. Unemployment rates drawn from this data are different from Department of Social Services administrative data on people receiving income support.

Reducing the lag between migrant arrival and economic integration

Having a job is not just a good thing for migrants - Australia needs migrant employment to stimulate economic growth. The Australian Government’s intergenerational reports and the Productivity Commission have called this the “3Ps” - population, participation and productivity. With an ageing population, migration is needed to boost Australia’s labour supply and contribute to innovation.

Making the labour market more inclusive of people from all cultural backgrounds will help to reduce recruitment and workplace barriers for migrants.

As current research has shown, this requires an appropriate mix of enabling policies, tailored jobseeker support and engagement with employers. Such measures are critical for Australia to continue to realise the social and economic benefits of migration.